dickie



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

G. W. DIGKIE.

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING GUN TURRETS.

No. 599,600. Patented Feb. 22, 1898.

%\ o N N N -A w a b a Z NI W N g Z a A K? E N I F A E 2 k w IK/MM 3Sheets--Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

G. W. DIGKIE. APPARATUS FOR OPERATING GUN TURRETS. P105599 600. PatentedFeb. 22 1898.

[III/[III II I II [112 Mhmm ea gwvcm/Coz 3 SheetsSheet 3.

G. W. DIGKIE.

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING GUN TURRETS.

(No Mode No. 599,600. Patented Feb. 22,1898.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE XV. DICKIE, OF' SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIONIRON IVORKS, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING GUN-TURRETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,600, dated February22, 1898.

Application filed August 23, 1897.

To 00% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE IV. DICKIE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco, State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Apparatus to Controlthe Operation of Armored Gun-Turrets or Like Heavy Masses; and I herebydeclare the following specification and the drawings therewith to be acomplete description of my invention and the manner of its application.

My invention relates especially to operating armored gun-turrets bymotive power not positive in its action, as by electric motors or steamor air engines, and to attaining in such cases a positive control of themass moved in respect to velocity, range, and holding it in a fixedposition; also, in combination with such control, means of communicatingthe driving power to the turret or mass to be moved andoperated.

' My improvements consist of hydraulic apparatus through which liquid iscirculated coincident with the turrets movements, controlling the speedand range of such movements; also, in providing by means of passover orescape valves in such apparatus to cushion the momentum of the movingmass, and in conjunction therewith electric motors having differentspeeds of rotation and voltage to gradually overcome the inertia of themass to be moved without an excess of electric current, and in otherfeatures of a constructive and operative nature, as hereinafter morefully explained and pointed out in connection with the drawings, and setforth in the claims at the end of this specification.

he object of my invention is to enable the application of electric,steam, pneumatic, or other nonpositive driving power to the op erationof armored gun-turrets or other heavy masses to be moved intermittentlyat various speeds and held in a fixed position by the same agent orapparatus.

In the movement of heavy masses, especially armored revolving turretsfor heavy guns, the common means of attaining such movement has been byhydraulic apparatus operating by means of an inelastic fluid that by itsnature produces positive and coincident motion of the impelling agentand the Serial No. 649,188. (No model.)

mass to be moved or driven. I11 performing this function by means of anelastic fluid or other non-positive connection, as in the case ofelectric motors, there is, besides the want of a definite range ofmovement, the impediment of overcoming the inertia and resisting themomentum of the mass, so as to attain control without endangering theconnection or means of transmission; also, of attaining precision, avariable rate of movement, and locking the turret or mass in a fixedposition. To avoid these objections and attain the required functions inthe motive apparatus, I provide devices as are herewith illustrated.

Referring to the drawings, Figure I is a diagram in which the variouselements and parts involved in my invention are so arranged as to showtheir connection and relation to an enlarged scale and to enable plaindescription. Fig. II is a vertical section through an armored turretarranged to be driven by an electric motor and in which my invention isapplied. Fig. III is a horizontal section on the line a Z) in Fig. II.Fig. IV is a broken plan view of a portion of a marine turret, showingthe situation of myimproved controlling ap paratus mounted therein. Fig.V is a vertical section through one side of the same turret, showing aview of my improved controlling apparatus at a right angle to Fig. IV.Fig. VI is a view of one of the hydraulic cylinders detached and shownat a right angle to the position in Fig. V.

Similar numerals of reference are applied to corresponding parts in thedifferent figures of the drawings.

In turning armored turrets to attain the de sired angle or line of fire,also in their adjustment and retention in a fixed position, there isrequired a positive limitation and control of such movements notattainable by engines operated by elastic fluids or by means oftransmission that are not positive, such as frictional devices orelectric motors. It is therefore necessary to provide separate means ofcontrolling the motion of such turrets as to range and fixed positions;also, to absorb their momentum when set in motion at a rate that wouldendanger the connecting-gearing if suddenly stopped. It is alsodesirable in the case of heavy turrets operated by electric motors toprovide for a cumulative actuating force that will in starting graduallyovercome the inertia of the mass and set it in motion without passingthrough the electric motor a volume of current that would endanger theinsulation of the electric motor. To these ends I provide apparatus anddevices as shown in the drawings, 1 being the revoluble portion of aturret; 2, the stationary armor; 3, the operating deck or platformwithin the turret, and 4 gun-ports in the revolving part thereof.

The revoluble part 1 of the turret is connected to the platform 3 bymeans of strong framing 5 and is integral therewith, the weight of thewhole being supported on the rollers 6, that rest on the circularsupporting-ways 7, mounted on the framing 8, that extends down to thedeck or floor 9, as seen in Fig. II. The open ways in the platform 3 areto permit depression of the breeches of the guns when housed and inloading.

The turret is turned by means of a strong pinion or pinions 11, thatmesh into circular stationary rack 12, as seen in Fig. I, to whichreference will now be made. In this figure and diagram the apparatusillustrated is to show the manner of operating, some of the parts notcorresponding to their position in other figures of the drawings and onepair of wheels 13 and 14 in the train of gearing being omitted.

Beginning with the elements for transmitting power and turning theturret, 15 is a small electric motor arranged to run at a high rate ofspeed. A pinion 17 on the armatureshaft 18 of this motor gears into thewheel 19 on the armature-shaft 20 of a large electric motor 21, a clutch22 being provided to connect or fasten the wheel 19 to the shaft 20, forpurposes hereinafter explained. On one end of the armature-shaft 20is abevel-pinion 23, meshing into the wheel 24 on the shaft 25. On the otherend of this shaft 25 is a spurpinion 26, thatdrives the wheel 27, theshaft 28, and the pinion 11, which latter meshes into the circularstationary rack 12, as before explained. This forms a connected train oftransmission from the motors 15 and 21 to the rack 12. Y

Supposing the turret to weigh five hundred tons, which many of themexceed, and that the motor 21 has a rate of four hundred revolutions perminute, it is evident that the mass must be set in motion at a rate muchslower than the operating conditions of the main electric motor 21permit. To evade this difficulty, the smaller electric motor 15, with ahigher rate of revolution, is introduced and is, as before explained,geared to the main motor by the wheels 17 19, these being in relation asthe normal rates of speed for the motors 15 and 21.

In starting the turret the electric current is sent into the motor 15,and at the same time to a solenoid 16, which operates and closes theclutch 22 by means of the tri-armed lever 29, thus setting the mainmotor 21 in revolution, and with it the train of gearing down to therack 12, revolving the turret accordingly. WVhen the main motor 21 hasattained a rate of revolution suited to its electrical conditions, orapproximately so, the electric current is cut out from the motor 15 andfrom the solenoid 16, and by the same motion the circuit is closed tothe main motor 21. The spring 43 then disengages the clutch 22, movingit to the position. seen in the drawings, and the shaft 20 runs free.The main motor then continues the movement commenced by theauxiliarymotor 15. This comprises the method and apparatus of transmittingandapplying power to move the turret by means of an electric current. As,however, power applied to turning the turret in this manner is flexibleand not determinate as to speed, range, and other limitations of firing,a positive control of such motions is essential and must be otherwiseprovided. Such control I provide by means of hydraulic apparatus represented in Fig. I by the cylinders 31 and their accessories, now to bedescribed. These cylinders 30 31 are provided with the usual.

pistons and connections to the cranks 32 33, formed in the shaft 28, andset at an angle of ninety degrees, as shown. These cylinders beingfilled with an incompressible fluid, such as water or oil, it is evidentthat rotation of the shaft 28 must produce a circulation or transfer ofthe fluid from one end to the other of the cylinders 30 31 or from oneside to the other of the pistons therein. Such circulation is permittedby the pipes 34 35, that connect the ends of the cylinders 30 31 and areprovided with cocks or valves 36 37 to regulate the rate at which thefluid can be transferred from one side of the pistons to the other, andconsequently control the rate and distance of the movement of themachinery and of the turret impelled thereby. The cocks 36 37 areoperated by a rod or connection 38, extending to a place from which themovements of the machinery and the turret are controlled, and byconnection with the switches that open and close the electric circuitthe actuating and controlling elements may operate coincident by meansof single lever or other device at the place of control 42.

The momentum of the turret when set in motion at the rate required ordesirable for long ranges of are is such that if the cooks 36 37 aresuddenly closed and movement stopped the machinery would be endangeredby the shock. To provide for this contingency, I employ a second set ofpass-over or connecting pipes 39 40, communicating between the ends ofthe cylinders 31 32, two pipes on each cylinder, provided withcheck-valves 41, one in each pipe, that act automatically to permit flowin one direction only. These valves 41 are held shut by springs 45, soadjusted that the valves will open at some predetermined pressure thatthe machinery is able to overcome without danger of accident, so that ifthe control-cocks 36 37 are closed too suddenly the valves 41 open andpermit flow from one end to the other of the cylinders 30 31 until thepressure falls to a point of safety. Then the valves 41 will closeautomatically and the Valves or cocks 36 37 will resume control.

To simplify illustration I have in Fig. I shown the hydraulic cylinders30 31 side by side and as adapted for turning gearing to operate at oneside of a turret. If, however, turning-gearing is provided at both sidesof the turret, as is common in practice, then these cylinders 30 31 andtheir accessories can be placed one at each side of the turret andoperate in the same manner, provided their cranks 32 33 are formed incorresponding shafts and at an angle of ninety degrees, as shown. Theseoperating and other parts illustrated in the diagram, Fig. I, can betraced by corresponding references and by their connection in the otherviews, Figs. II to VI of the drawings, the arrangement being modified soas to admit the machinery into a contracted space on shipboard anddemanding a scale for the drawings too small for plain illustration,easily understood, however, by any one skilled in this branch ofconstruction.

It will be seen and understood that the hydraulic controlling elementsof my invention are equally applicable to turret-movingmachineryimpelled by steam, air, or gas engines or any other means notpositive in its nature and connections, such application in both methodand apparatus remaining substan tially the same as to its constructionand functions. It will also be understood that other forms of hydraulicapparatus, such as positive rotary pumps, could be employed in stead ofreciprocating pistons. The latter are, however, preferable and moresecure against leaking, which would cause false movcmentof the machineryand of the turret.

In the case of stationary structures or turrets erected on land thearrangement of the various parts would be quite different from thatshownin Figs. IV and V. Ido not, therefore, confine myself to a particulararrangemento'f the machinery and parts thereof 3 but I claim as myinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a gun-turretoperated by machinery, a superimposed armored section, capable ofturning to produce various angles of fire, motive apparatus therein andturning-gearing to transmit motion from the motive apparatus to theturret, and in combination therewith hydraulic controlling devices soconnected to the turning-gearing as to control positively the range andrateof the turrets movement, in the manner and for the purposessubstantially as described.

In turret-operating machinery, main and auxiliary electric motors, meansto connect and disengage the same, gearing to connect these motors tothe turret-moving devices, and in combination therewith hydraulicapparatus to control movements of the machinery and turret, in themanner substantially and for the purposes described.

3. In turret-operating machinery, an electric motor or motors to operatethe turning mechanism, a train of gearing connecting the motor or motorswith the circular stationary rack by means of which the turret isoperated, and in combination therewith hydraulic cylinders and pistonsthat positively control and regulate the motion of the machinery and theturret, in the manner substantially as set forth and described.

1. In gun-turret-operating machinery, a motive apparatus and gearing totransmit and apply power to produce motion of the turret, and incombination therewith hydraulic apparatus provided with pass-over ortransfer pipes or passages so the fluid in the hydraulic apparatus cancirculate therein and permit movement of the turret positively andcoincident with such circulation, substantially as specified.

5. In a gun-turret operated by machinery, a revoluble turret and motiveapparatus to turn the same, gearing to connect the motive apparatus andturret, and hydraulic devices to control and regulate the motion ofthese, and in combination therewith relief-Valves on the hydraulicapparatus that will open and permit circulation of the fluid thereinwhen the pressure exceeds some predetermined amount, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a gun turret operated by machinery, a revoluble turret-sectionadapted to train the guns horizontally, motive apparatus to turn theturret, and gearing to connect the two, hydraulic apparatus to limit and0011- trol movements of the machinery and turret, the hydraulicapparatus provided with adj ustable circulating-valves to governmovements of the machinery and turret, and also with automaticrelief-valves to guard against overpressure, all combined and operatingin the manner substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two witnesses.

GEORGE IV. DICKIE.

IVitnesses:

K. LOCKWOOD NnvIUs, II. SANDERSON.

